Page 86 of Innocent Intent

“Yes, I’m sure. This birthmark belongs to Kami Arnold. But it doesn’t make sense. There are frames where it’s not there. And Tia doesn’t have that birthmark.”

“Are you sure?”

Cassidy nodded assuredly. “Yes, I’m sure. I would have noticed something as unique as that. When I spoke with Kami, she was a total mess. She didn’t trust anyone, least of all me. I did everything I could to gain her trust, to make her feel comfortable. At one point, we discussed her birthmark. Even as a child, she hated it. Said kids picked on her because she was ‘dirty.’ I told her it was unique and beautiful, like her. The similarity of her mark to the shape of a heart was God’s way of making sure she always knew she was loved.”

“Cass . . .” Davis moved closer and wiped a tear from her cheek. All the emotions she had held onto for years since the trial came flooding back. Sure, Arnold was a horrible man, but he was still Kami’s father, and a child rarely understood the weight of most adult situations. Cassidy had been yet another adult who’d let Kami down. “You okay?”

“I’m fine.” She rounded her shoulders and refocused. “Tia didn’t have that mark. That means . . .”

“Either the women are working together, or she covered it when she was around you.”

“This is insane.”

“Crazier things have happened. That very well could be Kami Arnold. What do you know about her life after the case?”

“Not much. A few months after sentencing, the mother committed suicide. Kami was adopted. The caseworker who was assigned Kami after what happened to the mother took a special interest in her and handled things personally. It was a private adoption, filed through the courts but not handled by the courts.”

“Do you know who adopted her?”

“No, I thought it was best that I left it alone. I assumed things would get better for Kami. I couldn’t handle finding out they didn’t.”

“I understand. Then that’s where we start. We need to find out who adopted her.”

“It was a closed adoption. That’s going to take some time.”

She watched Davis, seeing his thoughts spiraling before he stated, “I have an idea. It’s a long shot, but with how things are playing out, I feel it will give us exactly what we need.”

When he stood, she did as well. “You’re leaving?”

“Yeah, I need to check something.”

“Check what?”

She could sense he wasn’t willing to share. “I just need a few hours. Can you trust me?”

His pleading eyes met hers, and she nodded hesitantly. “Yes.”

“Good, thank you. We’re close, Cass. I promise. I want this over with as much as you. Sooner rather than later, so that we can move past it.”

He kissed her on the forehead and headed to the door. “Do not call or contact her until we know for sure. If she calls or contacts you, ignore it. If what I’m thinking is right, that’s her. I have to get my hands on the original footage because either she covered that birthmark, or that’s two different people. If that’s two different people, then Tia no longer has an alibi.”

“Which means she could have killed Niles.”

Davis nodded harshly. “And I need you to promise not to do anything until I return. Don’t go digging, and do not contact her.”

“I won’t.”

Cassidy pulled up her phone as soon as Davis was gone and began pacing. She was hopeful, but if Tia was Kami Arnold, so many questions needed to be answered. For now, she was stuck at Davis’s house, her mind spinning out of control with another round of guilt from how she’d ended up in this position in the first place.

27.

“This way, Detective.” Davis followed the guard through the last gate into the visitation area. He had requested private access, which put him in a room alone with Arnold. He thought it was better to have a one-on-one since their visit wouldn’t be conventional or very friendly. The warden agreed and granted Davis’s request.

After he was inside, Davis settled into a seat and waited for the guest of honor. Not long after, two guards escorted Arnold inside. His ankles and wrists were chained and cuffed, causing him to shuffle toward the table separating him from Davis. Once he was seated and cuffed to the table, one of the guards tossed out demands about Arnold’s expected behavior before nodding at Davis.

“He’s all yours, Detective.”

Arnold kept quiet until the guards were out of the room, and it was just the two of them. “Detective? What the hell I do to get you out here to see me? I’ve been keeping my nose clean.”

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